Product Management Festival Top Picks #8

1. How Uber, Airbnb, and Etsy Attracted Their First 1,000 Customers
New businesses often struggle finding their first customers. The challenge is even more difficult with startups in the sharing economy that launch as platforms connecting independent service providers with consumers. Check out these lessons to find out how big players did it.

2. The DIY IllusionThe DIY Illusion is a fundamental misunderstanding at the leadership level about software economics. We repeatedly set aside our own experience, imagine away all of the real costs / challenges of building commercial-quality software, and ignore nearly-complete market offerings.

3. The Best Companies Aren’t Afraid to Replace Their Most Profitable Products
Tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Facebook have continued to grow impressively, especially considering their large size. What is the secret that allows these incumbents to fend off the startups aiming to displace them?

4. Pokémon Go: A Mobile Product Manager’s Perspective
Pokémon Go has exploded onto mobile phones since its launch on July 6. What’s driving this phenomenon and what implications does it carry for mobile apps and consumer electronics?